Will Smith is best known for hiscool and humorous characterswho leave a lasting impression on the audience. That’s not to say the actor can’t do more serious roles, as over his career, he has done various roles that showcase his versatility.
While some of Will Smith’s best movies remain those where he plays parts with comedic elements, others teach you life lessons. His acting and role choices have ensured that you will remember him long after the characters are seen on the big screen.
8Focus
Nicky Spurgeon
Focus follows experienced con man Nicky Spurgeon, who takes Jess Barrett under his wings and teaches her the tricks of the trade. Nicky falls for Jess but sends her away because of advice his father gave him about relationships with colleagues. The duo meet again when Nicky goes to meet another mark.
Nicky and Jess rekindle their relationship, and the rest of the story focuses on themes of love and betrayal. Whether the two can con the mark and if they end up together make up for the crux of the story. Nicky’s cool and stylish demeanor appears to have been made for Will Smith.
7Gemini Man
Harry Brogan/Junior
After retiring from his job, Harry Brogan finds out that the last contract he assassinated was innocent. When he tries to find out more, a kill contract is issued against him. Harry fights and tries to find out what’s going on when things get more difficult. A killer sent to kill him looks just like Harry.
Will Smith portrays two roles: an aged, experienced killer and an innocent clone who is turned into a killer. Harry Brogan is an assassin who retires after he is tired of all the bloodshed, and Junior is the innocent clone who is pulled into the world of killers.
6Six Degrees Of Separation
Paul
Six Degrees of Separation is inspired by the real-life story of a con man who convinced his marks that he was the son of Sidney Poitier. Will Smith plays the main character and con man, Paul. The movie marked Will’s entry into Hollywood and came soon after The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ended. The scenes and the setting were reminiscent of the show, and his acting was a high point.
Paul enters Flan and Ouisa Kittredge’s house under the pretense of being a friend of their children and claiming to be the son of Sidney Poitier. The couple takes an instant liking to Paul and eventually lends him money. Soon after, Paul’s mask cracks, and his truth comes out into the open.
5Independence Day
Captain Steven Hiller
Will Smith’s portrayal of Captain Steven Hiller in Independence Day is credited with making him a leading action hero in Hollywood. The movie focuses on an imminent alien invasion that Earth needs to defend itself from. One of the highlights of the movie was Smith’s camaraderie with Jeff Goldblum, and their scenes were pure magic.
Smith’s portrayal of an African American hero who saved the planet from aliens offered a representation unique at the time the movie was made. Before the counterattack on the mothership, Hiller marries his girlfriend and the President of the United States makes a rousing speechsignifying the patriotic element.
4The Pursuit Of Happyness
Chris Gardner
The Pursuit of Happyness tells the tale of a struggling father who is determined to do everything to provide for his son. Will Smith portrays the role of Chris Gardner beautifully and displays how the main character is so close to the end of his rope, but his determination ensures he keeps moving forward.
The movie is based on the real-life story of a person who went from homelessness to a multimillion-dollar empire. It showcases the hardships of life that you can relate to and gives lessons to persevere through them to achieve success. The father-and-son relationship between Gardner and his son is also emphasized greatly.
3I Am Legend
Dr. Robert Neville
Dr. Robert Neville is the sole survivor after a virus that was meant to be the cure for cancer turned everyone into vampire-like creatures. Neville spends his days searching for a cure, hunting for food, and hoping to find other survivors. He finds that his blood might help the cure, but things won’t be easy.
I Am Legend brings out the more serious side of Will Smith and showcases how easily he portrays the role of the last human who’s trying to save the infected. He perfectly portrays the character’s struggle with having nobody and also his determination to find a cure.
2Men In Black
Agent J
NYPD officer James Darrell Edwards 3 pursues an extraordinarily fast criminal and, before he can catch him, the criminal jumps off a rooftop. Edwards is reprimanded by his superiors because of the mishap. However, Agent K comes looking for him and recruits him for the Men in Black. The MiB is a secret organization that monitors and polices alien life.
Edwards aces the test and becomes Agent J of the Men in Black. The duo’s first case follows an alien bug that crash lands in New York. Once they start investigating, they find out the case isn’t small and has something to do with destroying an alien species, the Arquillians. The movie makes full use of Smith’s comedic talents, and his partnership with Tommy Lee Jones is perfect.
Mike Lowrey
Will Smith was born to play the cool, savvy, and arrogant cop Mike Lowrey. The story follows partners Mike and Marcus as they hunt criminals and close cases. The latest case has them investigating how $100 million of drugs they seized went missing from the vault. A witness comes forward, and she wants to talk to Mike, who is unavailable.
The captain decides there is no choice but to make Marcus pretend to be Mike. The movie then takes you on a rollercoaster of fun and comedic bits that have become usual for the Bad Boys series. That’s not to say there isn’t any action, as the duo shoots and fights as fast as they crack a hilarious joke.
